The Pen
by sruoh
Summary: Orihime should learn to read the pen label before drawing on her hand. Tatsuki has a plan and thank goodness Ichigo is as dense as he is


The beautiful auburn haired beauty was happily writing down notes in her book, smiling her bright, sunny smile.

She quickly finished up while the others hurried to finish before the lunch bell. She rested her chin in her hands and her eyes soon drifted to the person she will love for five lifetimes, Kurosaki Ichigo. She quickly looked down when she caught herself staring, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

_No! I won't think of Kurosaki-kun like that! He and I are just nakama and nothing more!_

She sighed and heavily, even if they are just nakama she just can't help but think of them as more than friends, more than nakama, that they could be lovers.

Tastuki caught the look Orihime was giving off. She scowled a scowled that could have rivaled Ichigos. She quickly caught Orihimes eyes with a slight hand waved and mouthed "Idiot." Then returned to her notes.

Orihime sighed again, but a bit quieter. She could never figure out how Tastuki could figure out what she was thinking about, even though she never spoke it aloud.

She looked at the small round clock in the front of class. _Five more minutes until lunch. _Orihime couldn't wait; she was having strawberries dipped in wasabi and red bean paste curry_. _She got a pen from her bag and started doodling on her arm. She smiled at her strawberries and wasabi packages. Then on the back of her hand she wrote _I love Ichigo._

She blushed when she realized what she wrote and decided to wash it off when it was lunch. As she was putting the pen away though, she noticed something about the pen she hadn't realized before. Then she looked at her hand. Then she looked back to the pen.

xX*0*Xx

Ichigo was also done with his notes and his eyes found themselves looking at Orihime. He noticed right away that her usually happy grew eyes were panicked and her lips in turned down in a frown.

Ichigo knew that everyone was still in the process of healing after the winter war, especially Orihime so when the bell rang he walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She squeaked loudly and clutched her right hand in her left hand.

"Inoue?"

"Y-yeah Kurosaki-kun?" she abruptly looked down. Trying not to keep eye contact.

"Are you okay, is your hand hurt? You're holding it pretty tightly."

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? He he he?" He scowled when she said that. Why is she acting all nervous?

"Well, okay. Want to eat lunch with us?"

"We would love to Ichigo!" Tastuki piped up. Grinning madly at Orihime.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime was appalled. Doesn't Tastuki know she has a terrible dilemma?

"Ano, sorry Kurosaki-kun I have to talk with Tastuki-chan for a moment, we will be right there! Ok?" she quickly pulled Tastuki into the girls washroom before Ichigo could reply.

Ichigo was still baffled by girls.

xX*0*Xx

"Orihime! What the hell is wrong with you? You had the perfect opportunity with Ichigo and-" Orihime cut her off when she shoved her hand in Tatsukis face and pointed at the cursed words. "What the hell Orihime? Why are you showing me the doodles of-"then realization dawned on her when she saw what she wrote. Then she bumped her on the head."Baka, I know you love him so you don't have to-"

"Tatsuki-chan! I wrote this in permanent pen! Now I have to make a plan to make sure he doesn't see it." Tatsuki smiled evilly inside; oh she got a plan alright.

"Just try to hide it Hime, he won't notice knowing how dense he is."

"Well, ok…"

Tatsuki smiled "That's good, now let's go meet them, I'm starving!"

xX*0*Xx

"Inoue."

"Y-yeah Kurosaki-kun?"

"Aren't you right handed?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you using your left hand?"

"Well, ano… Training my brain!"

"Ok then." Ichigo knew something was wrong, he has to ask her about her hand after school.

"Well, Kurosaki, why are you being so observant? Usually you are so oblivious of everything around you. You can't even track r-"Ichigo gave him a death glare.

"Shut up Quincy."

"Hey Inoue want to-" A fist came out and smacked him in the head.

"Shut up Keigo."

Orihime grimaced, hopefully, if Ichigo could even consider asking her on a date, she won't hit him like that. She continued trying to eat with her left hand, only shoving her food over her shoulder a couple of times.

xX*0*Xx

"Hey Ichigo want to walk with us?"

"Sure why not?"

Orihime tried to give Tatsuki a glare but failed miserably. Tatsuki could only laugh.

"Hey Tatsuki, can you leave us alone for a sec, I need to ask Inoue something." Orihime begged Tatsuki with her eyes not to leave them alone, but all she did was wink and fell a couple of steps behind them. Luckily, Tatsuki could still here the conversation sneakily.

"Inoue let me see your hand."

"No." Ichigo scowled at this.

"Right now Inoue."

"N-no." Ichigo sighed.

"Inoue, look the red bean paste man."

"What! Really?"

Ichigo took the opportunity to take her hand in his.

"Wait! No!"

"It doesn't seem to be broken or hurt. Though it does have a lot of doodles on here." Orihime held her breath. He turned her hand over. She had an overwhelming urge to push him away. His eyes widened for a fraction for a second then dropped the hand.

"Your hand is ok.." Ichigo turned his head when he heard Keigos very loud calls.

"Oh crap, soccer practise. Sorry I can't walk with you guys. Bye Inoue, tell Tatsuki I said bye too. Also, I didn't know you liked strawberries so much." Then he was off.

Tatsuki walked up disappointed." Aw man, my plan didn't work." Orihime was shocked

"What!"

"You see, I didn't want to tell you that you could've just crossed it out and I also made Ichigo walk with us. I didn't count on Ichigo being that dense.

"What?"

"Close your mouth Hime."

"Tatsuki-chan!"

xX*0*Xx

Unknown to them, Ichigo was hoping that what she wrote was his name, not those stupid strawberries.


End file.
